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Northern India, air/6 nights, from $1,499

Experience India's Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra and Jaipur — with stops at the Taj Mahal, spice markets, and the Amber Fort.
/ Source: ARTHUR FROMMER'S BUDGET TRAVEL

The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare to Delhi on Jet Airways, six nights' accommodations, transfers, accommodations, sightseeing tours with guides, entrance fees, and a farewell dinner, for $1,499 per person — plus about $125 in taxes.

When: May 27, 2009; add $50 for May 13; $100 for Sept. 16, 23.

Gateways: New York City.

The fine print: Does not include taxes of about $125 per person. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $345. Use promo code D-000. Tour group size maxes out at 30 people. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.

Book by: March 11, 2009. The trip will be available after that date, but for $300 more per person.

Contact: Friendly Planet Travel, 800/555-5765, friendlyplanet.com.

Why it's a deal: In a recent Kayak search, we found an $831 round-trip flight between New York City and Delhi in late May (Qatar Airways). The three hotels you'll be staying at average about $264 per room per night, or $1,584 for a six-night stay. Booking independently, you could expect to pay about $1,623 per person for air and hotel, about what you'll pay including taxes with this package. Friendly Planet, though, will get you to and from the airport and provide tour guides, entrance fees, and all ground transportation. Plus, you'll have the peace of mind and convenience of working through a tour operator — and a contact while abroad.

Lodging: Two nights in the swanky Lalit New Delhi, two nights in the Clarks Shiraz Agra, and two nights in the Hotel Mansingh Jaipur.

Itinerary: Highlights In Agra, about 140 miles southeast of Delhi, you'll take a full-day tour of the famed Taj Mahal, a beautiful domed marble monument built by a Mughal emperor in the 17th century to enshrine his wife. You'll also spend some time at Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its red sandstone buildings. In Jaipur, you'll visit the Amber Fort (with an included elephant ride, if you so choose), the Jai Mandir temple, and markets where you can purchase spices. See the full day-by-day itinerary here.

More: You can book three optional tours for the total cost of $85 per person. There's also a three-night trip extension to Nepal available for $700 per person.

Before you go: U.S. citizens will need a valid passport for travel and a visa. Friendly Planet offers visa help; you can get more information on purchasing a visa here. The visa will cost about $60.

A word on safety: The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert in December as a response to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which targeted places frequented by Westerners. The alert notes that Americans should “monitor local news, vary their routes and times, and consider the level of security when visiting public places, such as religious sites, hotels, restaurants or entertainment and recreation venues ... Finally, travelers should plan on added time to account for increased security, especially at hotels and airports.” Read more about India on the State Department's travel fact sheet. Friendly Planet will assist you in finding the right U.S. embassy or consulate to register with. The tour operator has an emergency phone number that you can always call for assistance, and staff members are in communication with local contacts in the area you'll visit.